Albums of the Decade: The Aughts

Here are ten of the most important albums to be released from 2000-2009. They are arraigned chronologically.

The Marshall Mathers LP- Eminem (2000): Hip Hop had gone stale and then Eminem came along. Ten years later, Hip Hop is once again stale.


Kid A- Radiohead (2000): It took less than a week for Kid A to go platinum. Would not be an accurate list without Radiohead.


U2- All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2000): U2 decided to get out of electronic music and return to form. The end result was a monster.


Songs in A Minor- Alicia Keys (2001): Keys mixed blues with jazz and R&B. The comparisons to Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Billie Holiday followed.

American IV: The Man Comes Around- Johnny Cash (2002): This album signalled the greatest comeback in music history. All of a sudden, a 70-year-old was a superstar once more.


A Rush of Blood to the Head- Coldplay (2002): After this album, they were being compared to U2. This made Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.


The Rising- Bruce Springsteen (2002): Reinvigorated after a decade of experimentation, Springsteen returned with one of his strongest albums ever harkening back to his 80s glory.

Elephant- The White Stripes (2003): Garage rock lives! The White Stripes are one of the last of the rock bands.


American Idiot- Green Day (2004): American Idiot is probably the album of the decade. Green Day really connected to its audience as well as the zeitgeist of mid-decade America.


Magic- Bruce Springsteen (2007): This is generally considered the best (or second best) album of 2007. The album is about disillusionment with society, condemns the Iraq War, and could almost be a companion piece to American Idiot.

#40 Elton John

Only Madonna and the Beatles have charted more often than Elton John. Elton began as a songwriter with his partner Bernie Taupin. However, no one wanted to record their stuff. So, they did it themselves. “Your Song” broke Elton John. John Lennon claimed the song was the best thing to hit the airwaves since the Beatles.

Throughout the 70s, Elton scored hit after hit. His flamboyant costumes and great melodies wowed audiences. Like Billy Joel, Elton’s music centered around the piano. That would come in handy when the two toured together.

Elton John is also known for his public battles with drugs, alcohol, and bulimia. He’s also an outspoken AIDS activist. He has attacked people for being homophobic, but also defended Eminem against the same charges. He continues to tour and record and score hit records.

Rock n Roll Moment: Elton is part owner of an English soccer team.

Essential Elton John:

Elton John (1970)
Tumbleweed Connection (1970)
Madman Across The Water (1971)
Honky Chateau (1972)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
Greatest Hits (1974)
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)
Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1977)
Two Low for Zero (1983)
Lion King (1994)

Elton John’s Top 10:

Your Song
Levon
Tiny Dancer
Crocodile Rock
Saturday Night’s All Right For Fighting
Candle in the Wind
Bennie and the Jets
The Bitch is Back
I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues
Can You Feel The Love Tonight